The present invention relates in general to sauna devices, and more particularly, to a portable, flexible, individual sauna which derives its heat and moisture from external sources.
The use of saunas, steam rooms and the like for therapeutic and recreational benefit has long been known. Commonly, these take the form of room size units having capacity for many persons and being integrated as a fixed element of a building or as the only occupancy of an entire building. The prior art types of saunas are unsuited to use by individuals in the privacy of their homes and are thus less convenient than they might otherwise be desired. Recognizing this, the art has progressed to the production of individual "steam box" type units which are generally shaped as an enclosure in which a seat such as a stool may be placed. The "steam box" type of units are rigid and have a door on the front which opens to allow the user to enter. Such units have usually been designed with a self-contained heating source and, as before mentioned, are rigid in their construction. Other prior art devices have been permanently connected to other sources of heat such as a steam line to provide the elevated temperatures required for satisfactory operation. These units, although more adaptable to the use of individuals without the necessity of travelling to centralized locations, have the draw backs of being cumbersome, space consuming and expensive, as well as requiring permanent installation.
The long known use of sweat suits by athletes and those wishing to lose weight, has resulted in the development of various body suits which are fabricated of heat reflective and moisture retentive material, including sheet plastics, woven nylon and the like. While such sweat suits have the benefits of being more convenient and less expensive than the previously described devices, these "suits" are limited in the amount of heat which can be retained, whether wet or dry and by the fact that they contain no provision for external sources of heat. Thus, it is evident that their therapeutic value is inherently limited.